1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle airbag device and a control method thereof, more particularly, to a vehicle airbag device provided in a steering apparatus that is configured so that grips for steering are not positioned on an upper side thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. H11-342819 describes a steering apparatus comprising a non-circular steering wheel in which the wheel grips are provided on the left and right sides of the steering wheel. In the steering apparatus described in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. H11-352819, an airbag is accommodated in the center portion of the steering wheel. When a vehicle collision occurs, the airbag is deployed while a pad cover covering the airbag is upwardly and downwardly divided and is opened. The divided and opened pad cover supports the rear side of the deployed airbag. Therefore, even though a non-circular steering wheel is used, the opened pad cover accurately prevents the deployed airbag from displacing in the vehicle forward side.
However, if a vehicle occupant comes into contact with the pad cover during a vehicle collision, the rigidity of the pad cover may be such that the pad cover maintains its position against the impact of the occupant.